Ever fancied staying in a luxury beach hut? Where in just a few steps you can go from your bed to the crystal clear warm sea water? Well in Oman you totally can! Introducing Muscat Hills Resort – Oman’s most elegant beach hut experience!
A stay at Muscat Hills Resort gives you the unforgettable opportunity of staying in a wooden Barasti hut facing the beach, but with the utmost luxury!! What makes the experience even more special is that this style of Barasti hut was actually a type of traditional accommodation used by the local bedouin tribes in this area around the 1800’s, so it feels so authentic and unique!
Back in the day, the huts (which are typically square or rectangular in shape) were built to keep people cool and provide protection during the hot summer months and were particularly common for fishing and pearling settlements on the coast.
Muscat Hills is really one of a kind in The Middle East. All the accommodation at Muscat Hills is in these beach huts (there are 35 in total), and it gives you the feeling you are stepping back in time and really experiencing the local culture but in a very elegant and beautiful setting.
Incredible setting:
Set within a stunning private secluded bay, Muscat Hills’ location is absolutely incredible. The perfect white-sand beach, turquoise water and mountains rising majestically offers the perfect backdrop for your stay.
If you’re a good enough swimmer you can also swim to a couple of small deserted beaches in the bay or explore around the rocky mountains to get a great view of the resort and the bay (please advise caution if doing so).
Barasti beach huts:
The luxury wooden beach huts are so stunning and unique, decorated with traditional Omani furnishings and in a minimalistic style. They all have their own private terrace with outdoor seating, and the rooms are really spacious. The beds have a grand mosquito net surrounding them, but don’t worry – there aren’t mosquitos here, the net just adds a nice touch in the room!
My favourite part of the beach huts has to be the open-air bathroom! Of course you have your privacy – the walls of the bathroom are made of stone and then above this the bathroom is open-air, so nobody can look in but still the sunlight comes through and gives it a real feeling of open-ness. A wooden thatched roof then covers the top of the bathroom. The bathroom is really spacious, the shower is great, good quality toiletries are included and I just love the bamboo towel hanging rail, such a cute touch!
In keeping with the traditional design and appearance, they do not have any televisions or telephones inside the huts which I really loved – meaning you can really cut yourself off from today’s modern world should you wish! Don’t worry if you aren’t ready for that though, the wifi here is very good! The air-con is also great and there is a fridge minibar, coffee machine and plenty charge points too!
All the beach huts are organised in groups of ‘villages’ with roughly 8 huts in each village in a semi-circle, but they are pretty spaced out so you still have the feeling of privacy on your terrace. All the huts are just a few steps away from the beach, and honestly it was such a great experience staying in one of these luxury huts!
Beach:
The beautiful private beach is fairly large so it never feels overcrowded and there are plenty of sunbeds and wooden thatched umbrellas available to use (beach towels are provided in your room).
Directly infront of the beach huts are the sunbeds exclusively for Muscat Hills hotels guests, but if you head to the right – to the other side of the boardwalk, you’ll see the cabanas and sunbeds infront of the restaurant and beach bar are for shared use by Muscat Hills Beach Club too, where outside guests can come and enjoy the upbeat atmosphere. Music plays here (with a live DJ on the weekends) and there are waitors available to take your drinks orders from your sunlounger, so head here if you want a more lively vibe and some drinks on the beach, or alternatively stay near the beach huts if you want more chilled and peace and quiet.
The water is a lovely temperature year-round and fortunately the water in the bay is shallow and calm, meaning you can walk out in the water a long way and you can even see some small fish swimming around too!
At night time the beach is lit up so beautifully – there are spot lights on the mountains which make it look so romantic, and even on the mountain nearest the beach club it appears that there are little caves with people living in them (there are not though!) as the lights in these ‘caves’ goes on and off periodically (see below right photo). Again, such a unique touch.
Pool:
Next to the Beach Club is the pool area – there is a main pool and a children’s pool, and both of them are really nice and luckily not too busy in the day. They are also partially shaded from the sun which is good if you want to escape the heat for a little while!
Dive Centre
Muscat Hills Dive Centre is conveniently located onsite and through here you can do snorkelling and diving (including PADI diving certification). Boat excursions, dolphin watching, sunset cruises and watersports such as stand-up paddleboarding and jet-skiing are also available. All trips depart from the on-site jetty that is in the middle of the bay.
Guests staying in the barasti beach huts can also avail of the free kayaking facilities, perfect so you can explore the bay even more!
Restaurant:
The outdoor restaurant overlooks the beach and specialises in Mediterranean dishes and fresh seafood directly from the sea, as well as some traditional local dishes. The design is fresh and modern, there is a really nice ambience and the staff are very polite and knowledgeable about the menu.
There is a wide range of alcoholic beverages and cocktails available (I went for the signature Muscat Hills Beach Club cocktail and a glass of Prosecco!) and the choice of food on the menu was really great – definitely something for everyone! Delicious complimentary bread, olives and dips are also served prior to receiving your starters.
On the first evening I chose the classic Gulf shrimp cocktail which was really tasty. Then for mains I had the qabouli (pictured below): a traditional Omani dish of meat and rice as I really love trying the local cuisine when I travel, and it was so delicious! For dessert, I went for the tiramisu which was a great choice, it was so good!
The second evening I enjoyed the camel burger (pictured below) and the Lamb Shuwa, another delicious traditional dish from Oman consisting of pulled lamb, traditional Omani spices and cumin rice.
The restaurant is lit up beautifully at night, and the views looking out onto the beach are so beautiful. Even though I was there in the summer, which can reach scorching temperatures, it was perfect and wasn’t too hot as there were plenty outdoor fans.
Breakfast:
Breakfast is served in the same area as the restaurant, or you can choose to eat in the indoor part of the restaurant, which also had the same vibe and similar decor. Chefs were available to make omelettes to order, and there was a good selection of both continental and Arabic breakfast choices.
Location:
Muscat Hills Resort is located 30km east along the coast from Muscat city. Whilst Muscat city is a very pleasant place, without a doubt Muscat’s most relaxing getaway resorts can be found along it’s east coast. They are away from the hustle and bustle of the capital with nothing but uninterrupted sea and mountain views.
It takes about a 30 minute drive to get from Muscat to Muscat Hills Resort. Just 5 minutes away from Muscat Hills by car is the friendly fishing village of Qantab that is worth checking out if you have time – the beach is stunning and quite popular with both tourists and locals.
Muscat Hills Resort is 28 miles (50km) from Muscat International Airport. It is best to hire a car as it will actually work out cheaper than taking a taxi both ways to the airport. Fortunately there is ample parking available at Muscat Hills Resort, for no extra charge of course. See my post 2 day itinerary of Oman for more information about transport and driving in Oman.
Overview:
Overall I had a fabulous stay at Muscat Hills Resort. All the staff were so friendly, the service was impeccable, the food was great and the location was just perfect. Staying in a luxury beach hut was really a dream come true, and if you are looking to experience traditional accommodation in the most elegant environment but with a relaxed vibe, then Muscat Hills Resort is definitely for you! CLICK HERE to visit the website.
Also, if you would like to check out a short video I made about Muscat Hills, CLICK HERE to check it out on my Youtube channel!
Alternatively if you want to discover places in the local area, such as Bimmah Sink hole, Wadi Shab and Mutrah, CLICK HERE to see my Oman travel itinerary!
If you have more time in Oman and would like to explore more of the country, why not head down south to experience Salalah in khareef season, when the region is transformed into a green oasis. CLICK HERE to read my article on All you need to know about Salalah!
Like this post? Pin it for later!
